It was the last day of school today. Yay, survived to the end of term!
It's been a good but loooooooooooooong week!
On Sunday, we headed over to CBC's work colleague's new cottage in a village 4 miles from us. She runs the Duke of Edinburgh at his school, which I have helped with, so I know and like her, as well as knowing her through the concerts at his school (she plays the trombone).
We had a nice walk around her village, we went to the lovely pub (never been in there before...will definitely return) and were invited into the beautiful church by the vicar. I had a nice chat to his wife. After that, we headed home.
Monday was our Christmas services at the church at school. Usually, I would be walking 90 children down early whilst the remaining 90 would come down with their teachers. I'd then do the same in the afternoon with another set of 90 etc. However, this year, because it wasn't the usual drill, I didn't take the choir or drummers etc early and got to cycle there ahead by myself.
The church were as welcoming and usual and both performances, morning and afternoon went really well. It was weird not having parents there but it was still really lovely and the children behaved impeccably and said how much they had enjoyed themselves.
Monday evening, I headed up to the Mansion House area of London with my viola on my back, as well as my bike and pannier, to attend a rehearsal with a choir called The Elysian singers who we were accompanying in the orchestra. As well as traditional carols, we were playing an oratorio called The Song of Simeon by Malcolm Arnold which is a brilliant, less-often performed oratorio. It is so witty and touching in equal measure and I recommend having a listen to it. It reminds me of Gilbert and Sullivan in places.
Tuesday was a busy day in school with teaching Jingle Bells on the glockenspiels in Year 2 (they did very well) and then the afternoon was Year 6 performing their versions of the Baroque Composer, Tarquino Merula's Chiaccona. I was proud of them. I don't think the rest of the building appreciated all the children spread around the corridors practising as they were working in trios and really needed silence to hear each other. Ah well, hopefully it will remind people, should they ever wish to permanently get rid of my music room, that it will really annoy them!
Wednesday was another day of successful Jingle Bells (glocks in Year 2 and recorders in Year 3) and more Chiacconas. Choir was fun at the end of the day. I gave them crisps and a chocolate bar which they were really grateful for and we had a jolly sing through of carols on request.
Thursday, the Year 1 &2's performed their Christmas nativity songs and more Jingle Bells in the afternoon.
We headed up to London to the Actor's church in Covent Garden to perform our concert. Luckily, the tube and train was not packed and the church wasn't packed. We wore our masks whilst playing. I wore my newest concert outfit which is a black velvet jumpsuit with big sleeves that I bought 2nd hand on eBay in Lockdown along with Charity-shopped Clarks T-bar shoes.
Today at school, I mostly spent the day editing and putting together the Christmas performance audio for the parents to watch and tidied up the little peripatetic room that I use as a dumping ground do admin work in. I was the last non-cleaner/caretaker member of staff to leave at 3.30pm and I resembled a Balinese motorcycle driver as I cycled precariously along the High Road to the station with a full pannier,laptop bag, rucksack, large bag full of food and large giftbag all hanging off my bike.
CBC, luckily came and picked me up from the station at the other end as it was raining and dark and I didn't really want to be cycling along the mainroad like that.
And now, onto the reason for the title.
My headteacher's partner made the most incredible decorations for his room. The fire place was made from scratch from foam! I asked if I could come and have a photo in front of it which he agreed to (and turned all the lights on for me! The office is so magical for the children and he often had visitors in there this December.
